White Chocolate Cupcakes with Truffle Filling

     It's been a while but Recipe Tuesday is back!  I gave up chocolate and sweets for Lent and couldn't bare the thought of baking without being able to taste test the recipe.  Now that Easter is over and most of the chocolate has been eaten I decided to get back into baking with this Pampered Chef recipe (here).
     I have a healthy fear of a few things: spiders, heights, drinking expired milk and baking with egg whites.  Not sure what it is but I've never been interested in exploring the world of egg whites or meringues... probably because I'm afraid my peaks will be too soft or too stiff and the entire recipe will be ruined.  But thanks to this recipe I'm slowly overcoming my fear.
     There are quite a few steps in this recipe and I used several bowls but it's well worth it.  The cupcake is dense yet very moist (due to the melted Lindt ball) and not too sweet.  The frosting is buttery soft with just a hint of white chocolate.  I found that the recipe makes enough frosting for 24 cupcakes, you could probably cut the recipe in half and still have enough.

White Chocolate Cupcakes with Truffle Filling   

• 1 3/4 cups cake flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 2/3 cup whole milk
• 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 4 egg whites, room temperature
• 6 tbsp butter, softened
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 sour cream
• 12 round white chocolate truffles (Lindt balls)

1. Preheat oven to 325; place paper liners in wells of muffin pan.  Whisk flour and baking powder together, set aside.  Combine milk and vanilla extract, set aside.  In mixing bowl, beat egg whites on high speed with electric mixer until stiff peaks form.  In another bowl beat butter and sugar on medium-high speed until fluffy; beat in sour cream until smooth.

2.  On medium speed, add flour mixture in three additions, alternating with milk mixture in two additions, mixing until smooth.  Whisk in one-third of the egg whites with a whisk.  Fold in remaining egg whites using whisk.  Using a large scoop, divide batter evenly among liners.  Bake for 17-20 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

3.  Immediately cut an "X" into top of each cupcake and insert one truffle until it is flush with the top of the cupcake.  Cool for at least 30 minutes (truffle will melt into cupcake). 

Frosting

• 6 oz white chocolate for baking (3/4 cup white chocolate chips)
• 1 pkg cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 cups powdered sugar

1.  Place white chocolate in microwave safe bowl and microwave until melted, stirring every 30 seconds.  Let stand 3 minutes or until slightly cooled.

2.  In mixing bowl, combine chocolate, cream cheese butter and vanilla and beat on medium speed until well blended.  Slowly add powdered sugar; beat well.

3.  Frost cupcakes.  Enjoy!